Mary Michailidou becomes the director of the National Gallery

Following Dimitris Papastamos, Mary Michailidou, Head of the Department of Folk Culture of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, became the Chief Executive Officer since November 1989. In April 1990, she was appointed as director, serving until 14 June 1991.

During her tenure, Mary Michailidou organised a new display of part of the National Gallery’s collections, featuring 19th-century art. Retrospective exhibitions of the oeuvre of mainly Greek but also foreign artists were also organised.

Following Mary Michailidou, Nelly Missirli, Head of the Directorate of Collections, Artistic and Museological Programming of the National Gallery, was appointed as director, remaining in this position until January 1992. As early as the summer 1991, the post was advertised, and since 17 January 1992 the National Gallery has been headed by the art historian and professor at the Athens School of Fine Arts, Marina Lambraki-Plaka.